Multicomponent kit containing an antibody to a synthetic antigen of sialic acid

Abstract

A compound X-Y wherein X comprises sialic acid, a sialic acid derivative or and oligosaccharide terminating in a sialic acid or sialic acid derivative if multibranched at the end of at least the largest branch, and, Y represents coupling means which allows an antibody to be raised to X when the compound is coupled to a carrier through the coupling nears Y and the coupled compound used to raise said antibody. These compounds show utility in that they, and antibodies raised against these, can be used in detecting and diagnosing cancers.

What we claim as our invention is: 
     
       1. A multicomponent kit for detecting a sialic acid-containing antigen in a sample which kit comprises at least first and second components are in separate containers, said first component comprising an antibody which selectively binds to a compound having a terminal sialic acid moiety, said compound having the formula ##STR1## wherein each R separately represents hydrogen or acetyl, R 1  represents hydrogen, methyl, sodium or potassium; R 2  represents hydrogen, acetyl or hydroxyacetyl; each (sugar) represents a sugar moiety selected from the group consisting of galactose, glucose and lactose;   n is 0, 1 or 2,   A represents a heteroatom selected from the group consisting of oxygen, sulphur, and nitrogen and stands for or replaces an oxygen atom at the reducing end of the sugar moiety or sialic acid moiety; and   W' represents --CH 2  CH 2  CH 2  --S--CH 2  CH 2  NHCOCH 2  CH 2  --, --CH 2  --CH 2  --, --CH 2  CH 2  CH 2  --S--CH 2  CH 2  NH--, ##STR2##  or --CH 2  CH 2  CH 2  --S--CH 2  CH 2  NHCOCH 2  --; and   C constitutes a carrier, said second component comprising detection means for detecting a reaction between said antibody and said compound.     
     
     
       2. A kit according to claim 1 wherein said antibody is adsorbed onto a solid substrate.